Dialogues on the Experience of War
Division of Education Programs
THE DEADLINE FOR THIS CYCLE HAS PASSED.
Updated guidelines will be posted in advance of the next deadline. In the meantime, please use these guidelines to get a sense of what is involved in assembling an application.
Grant Snapshot
Maximum award amount
Open to
Expected output
Period of performance
Application available (anticipated)
Next deadline (anticipated)
Expected notification date
Project start date
The Dialogues on the Experience of War program supports the study and discussion of humanities sources that address the experiences of military service and war from a wide variety of perspectives. In recognition of the importance of the humanities in helping Americans to understand the meaning and experiences of military service and war, Dialogues projects encourage veterans and civilians to reflect collectively on such topics as civic engagement, veteran identity, the legacies of war, service, and homecoming. Project teams should include humanities scholars, military veterans, and individuals with relevant experience.
Dialogues projects may take a wide variety of forms, including:
- Bridge programs for veterans seeking to further or resume their education
- Community discussion series hosted by veterans’ organizations and cultural institutions such as museums or theaters
- Undergraduate or graduate courses that train students to lead discussions on campus or in the local community
- Seminars for members of the public
- Reading and discussion programs for veterans in the justice system or in group housing
- Discussion series centered on local historical collections, memorial sites, film series, or exhibits
Dialogues projects must include:
- Discussion programs: The convening (in person or virtual) of at least two sustained discussion series focused on humanities resources and themes that address the experiences of war and military service. Dialogues discussion groups may include exclusively veterans (including a subset of veterans such as students or residents of a group facility); civilians; military-affiliated persons; or any mix of these groups; and
- Preparatory programs: The creation of an in person or virtual preparatory program to recruit, train, and mentor a sufficient number of individuals to serve as discussion leaders for the series.
The recorded webinar below provides examples and explanation in support of the Notice of Funding Opportunity guidelines for the 2022 funding cycle.
A virtual Q&A is scheduled for 1:00 pm Eastern on June 29, 2022. Click here to join.
Read the Notice of Funding Opportunity to ensure you understand the expectations and restrictions for projects delivered under this program and are prepared to write the most effective application.
Application Materials
Dialogues on the Experience of War Notice of Funding Opportunity 2022 (PDF)
Dialogues on the Experience of War Grants.gov application package
Program Resources
Dialogues on the Experience of War Frequently Asked Questions, 2022 (PDF)
Form for Submitting a Preliminary Sketch of a Dialogues on the Experience of War Proposal (DOC)
List of recent grants in this program
Sample Application Narratives
Messiah College, We are Veterans Too: Women's Experiences in the U.S. Military
St. John Fisher College, Meaning and Dimensions of Service: Duty, Loyalty, and Culture in War
Maine Humanities Council, Hard Journeys Home: A Book Group for Justice-Involved Veterans (PDF)
Confirm that your SAM registration is current and verify your access to Grants.gov. If you have not already done so, you must create a Login.gov user account to register and log in to SAM and Grants.gov. Login.gov is a secure sign in service used by the public to sign in to participating government agencies. Create and link your account now.
Follow the instructions outlined in the Notice of Funding Opportunity and in the Grants.gov instructions.
You will receive a confirmation from Grants.gov when you’ve successfully submitted your application. Subsequently, you will receive up to five more notices confirming different stages in the application process. Verify that you have received all confirmations. Note that email filters may send these messages to your spam or junk folder.
